In the Land of Blood and Fire
by Sulfur Dusk
Summary: AU - "You do not fear me." It was a statement, threaded with the rigid tone of a stranger with no intent other than to kill. When she declined to respond, his sickening smirk only grew, as if he was about to laugh. "The Empire will fall before me, little fox, and you will join me in watching it burn." :Atem x Fem!Yuugi:


**In **_the _**Land** _of _**Blood** _and _**Fire**

Chapter One

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><p><strong>Yuugi<strong>

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><p>She really should've been used to seeing this.<p>

Kisara Sardotheon—looking every bit the honorable lady she was raised to be—had her attention glued to images shown only through the frosted glass of her windows. Past the marbled balcony that oversaw the crisp white sands of the beach, the Shifting Coast and the endless extension of stones and small towers that made up Snowmount Rock, the heiress to the Sardotheon royal title could only glimpse a life she would never have.

Yuugi pitied her sister when no one else would. Though they were not of blood, they shared a bond envied behind closed doors. Kisara's older brother Joseph would find their relationship a tad strange, if it not for the fact that Yuugi had remained with them since the day their kindly mother found her at their doorstep, accompanied with nothing but the scars on her skin and the rags on her back.

And in all honesty, despite their closeness, Yuugi was still struggling to adjust to the image of Kisara constantly staring out of the windows of Snowmount Rock's towers.

What drew her attention the most was the absolute haunted distaste shrouding her adoptive sister's eyes—eyes that once glowed with immense passion and maturity, exhibiting the shade of blue that only the rippling waves of the sea could compete against, now showed as lusterless orbs that seemed anxious for something more.

Yuugi had been staring at the still image portrait of her sister for so long that she forgot why she wandered there in the first place. A blush came to her cheeks before she inhaled and spoke. "Kisara, your mother told me to remind you that the lords and ladies aren't coming until three days' time." She paused, wondering if a single word registered with the porcelain-haired beauty. "And that you probably shouldn't worry too much about it."

Kisara turned her head slightly, as if only to acknowledge her presence. Whether she was actually listening or not, Yuugi couldn't tell. Sometimes it was an achievement just to get her to look away from the window. "Mother's the one that puts the pressure on my shoulders in the first place. If anything my anxiety is her doing."

"Well that's hardly fair," Yuugi murmured. Kisara's mother was overbearing and demanding with just about everything, but this marriage union was important for both the Sardotheons of Snowmount Rock and the Harts of Rivercastle. It was the partnership sealing between Wyntorn and Godsdom.

Kisara was the first to be betrothed. Her brother Joseph soon followed, destined to wed a pretty maiden from Redstone.

If Yuugi was thankful for anything, it was that she was the least-likely person to be married off to anybody. She was only sixteen, though Kisara was fourteen and still learning to adapt to the ways of life and completing her schooling.

Sometimes it was useful to be hated within her own home.

"I think it _is _fair." Kisara exhaled, roughly rubbing her arms. To her the fine silks felt like a loose second skin: uncomfortable and unfortunately required. "Mother can put all these jewels on me and make me wear expensive gowns, but I'm scared. I mean…" She blushed. "I have never even_ talked _to a man before… and I'm about to be with a _lord_."

Yuugi frowned, taking a seat on the blankets of Kisara's lavish bed. She glanced over the other quizzically, understanding her fear. "I know it must be scary." She paused, and smiled, tapping the other on the shoulder. Kisara turned, and Yuugi's heart clenched at the sight of tears in the other's eyes. "It will be scary, and it's good that you know that." She locked gazes with her carefully. "But always know that your older sister Yuugi is here to beat up anybody who tries to hurt you. Call for me and I will be there for you always."

And it was the truth.

The girl destined for marriage within a few short days could only smile weakly at such a vulnerable statement. She knew she meant the world to Yuugi; the other would not hesitate to kill for her if she could. "Thank you, Yuugi. I feel a little better."

Before Yuugi could respond, a knock on the door and a rough shove of the rosewood slabs snapped both girls' attentions. Joseph Sardotheon stood there looking like he'd just bathed in his clothes, his dishwater blonde hair slapped against his cheeks and deep brown eyes alive with boyish excitement.

"You look like you were just chewed and spat out by a giant dog," Yuugi deadpanned. Kisara giggled.

Joseph blinked and raised an eyebrow. "I'm only here 'cause Mom wants to see us downstairs. She didn't mention you though Yuug'." He sounded excited, though Yuugi could tell that in reality he was dreading what was about to come. Rehearsal dinners for meeting the betrothed lord and lady would bore him to tears.

He smirked at his adoptive sister and tilted his head toward the door. "Come on, Kisara."

Kisara glanced down at her bare feet, pensive. "I'll be down there soon. Just give me a few minutes."

"I'll leave you alone to get dressed," Yuugi muttered. She pecked Kisara briefly on the forehead before shoving Joseph out of the room and glaring profoundly at the oldest of the Sardotheon children. "You know, the point of _knocking _is to see if you can or cannot _enter_. Barging in isn't exactly the first option, you know."

The blonde shrugged. "Eh, figured she was starin' out the window like she always does." He paused and suddenly glanced over Yuugi curiously. "By the way, how's she doing? I know you've been talking to her about this… marriage stuff."

Yuugi pondered on what she should tell him, but decided against the details. "Just told her what I thought she needed to hear. It's true though, of course." She blinked. "I mean, I know _you're _not excited for this either. I feel sorry for your future wife. She's going to be so disappointed she's marrying a lapdog."

She dodged a swung hand and smirked at his blush. "You know it's true."

"Eh, I don't care what you say." He rubbed his nose and stood up straight, puffing out his chest. "I've got the best chance of sealing this deal with Lady Dunwald."

"If you say so." Yuugi rolled her shoulder and winced; training with the Wyntorn guards was not the best idea when the winds pushed the sands of the Shifting Coast to unfathomable levels. Her muscles contracted so much she knew she would be sore for weeks.

"You know, if you wanted to train with someone elite you could've just asked me," Joseph muttered. Great. He must have seen her flinch. "I mean, that's gotta hurt. The guards get the worst treatment having to train on the beach, especially when storms are brewing."

The Shifting Coast was outlandishly beautiful, though in the deadliest way. Lightning and rainstorms overcast the Kingdom of Wyntorn's weather constantly, and since the outcropping of Snowmount Rock sloped over and burrowed into the sands of the beach, it was common ground and easy access for the guards to train and be out of the way of their lord and lady. Yuugi liked keeping herself strong and motivated, and usually followed their training regime to the best of her abilities, from far back and undetected, though still braving against the harsh weather.

"I'm fine," Yuugi murmured. "You should probably go and see your mother."

Joseph's nose wrinkled, his eyes darkening. "She's your mother too."

Yuugi had no response for that. She stared at her brother until he stood down and dropped the subject before it turned into an argument.

It was no mystery that the Sardotheons were beautiful, marvelous, regal people. They were well-respected in Wyntorn, and kept the people happy as best they possibly could, though since the province itself was much smaller than the neighboring four kingdoms, it was a possibility that they were just easy to please.

Yuugi stared at her reflection, drawing attention to the details of her eyes, her face, her skin, her hair… she was so different from them. It was remarkable that she could even be considered living with them; she seemed hardly relevant as a citizen of the Ostrësian Empire at all.

Lord Ron and Lady Eleanor Sardotheon shared the features of their son and daughter easily. Kisara and Lady Eleanor both had the fair yet rosy complexions, the streaming silver-pale hair that shined like marble, and the glistening blue crystal eyes. Lord Ron and Joseph were tanner, though not by much, features sharp yet not exactly chiseled, and brown eyes that were deep as chocolate and as rugged as stones, with hair the color of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Yuugi was an anomaly on her own, compared to them or not. She was so tiny in stature, barely resembling a female, especially at sixteen. Her skin was so pale she resembled a corpse; her hair was unruly and spiked in numerous directions, laced through with the strangest colors and shades that ranged from golden to raven-dark roots. Her eyes were huge, like that of a doll's, always emotional and curious, seeking answers and asking questions just through observation. They shone as dark violet rings, brimming with bitterness and distrust.

It was hard not to compare herself with her unrelated siblings, but she cherished them enough to think of them as more important to Wyntorn and the rest of the Empire. She knew Kisara's betrothed would adore her at first sight.

_Perhaps my mother thought me so ugly she needed to discard me_, Yuugi thought.

She shrugged, suddenly picturing what Lord Tristan and Lady Téa would look like; maybe they will be just as appealing as her siblings, and they will all thrive in their own separate lives from the castle of Snowmount Rock. Once they left, what would Yuugi even do with herself?

What would Lord and Lady Sardotheon do with her?

She frowned at the thought. They would have no more use of her. Sure, they could send her away to somewhere more in need of an extra burden in the family, though she never felt welcome with the likes of Ron and Eleanor.

_I'll travel the country someday. Maybe when they leave. I can leave the Shifting Coast and Snowmount Rock and Wyntorn altogether. _

There were so many lands, so many kingdoms to explore. She could find many things about the other kingdoms, about the other families, and maybe someday even see the illustrious Emperor Carlisle "Pegasus" Hightower upon his throne in the Imperial Capitol. That would be one of many aspirations.

Curiosity was what drove her forward, she supposed. One fatal flaw she would probably never give up for anything.

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><p><strong>Atem<strong>

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><p>He was coming closer. Much closer.<p>

The harsh ocean waves churned, folded over and repeatedly _slapped _against his ship. Men and women that served him with their very lives scrambled across the decks and through the many different levels of the wooden creation, keeping the vessel as calm as possible.

The wake of a storm was in their midst, and Atem _hated _storms. Or, as he would insist, he was simply not used to them. There was hardly ever any rain in his country, the vast desert landscape of Verythia. The weather was always blistering hot, the scalding suns shedding simultaneous life and death upon his people. Over centuries bards and soothsayers would sing tales of pilgrims marching across the vicious Verythian wastes in search of fabled springs.

Atem always dismissed these tales as foolish and unremarkable. He was on a mission; the border of the Ostrësian Empire was soon to be in his path; he could practically taste the salty air that cloaked the Shifting Coast—once his tongue danced with that flavor, he would know that he had arrived.

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><p><strong>Téa<strong>

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><p>Redstone was one of the larger kingdoms of the Ostrësian Empire. It stood atop deep rolling hills and cliffs, boasting the popular Crimson Colosseum for aspiring gladiators, where the royal family of Redstone would take popular seats and watch the spectacle without judgment.<p>

Watching men slaughtering one another for glory and the thrill of bloodshed was nothing new or especially discomforting to Téa Dunwald. After all, her biggest obstacle at the moment was getting ready for marriage—marriage to a total stranger from some tiny kingdom barely stamped on the Ostrësian Empire map.

Lady Téa didn't understand why her father would allow this, or why the magisters would even bring up the idea. What did Wyntorn even have for resources? What could they possibly trade?

The Dunwalds wouldn't have any use for that storming beachside, or the semi-secret black market that stretched throughout the kingdom's territory like a scar.

When Téa accompanied her father to royal gatherings with the other kingdoms she hardly ever saw the Sardotheons there. She was so used to conversing with the Beaumonts and the Harts, who were far wealthier and much more impressive.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," she whispered, wondering if the gods could hear her silent prayers. "This could be a step forward in your life as a Dunwald. As the Dunwald heiress."

But leaving home was something she was not looking forward to.

* * *

><p><strong>Joseph<strong>

* * *

><p>With one clean swipe, the haystack dummy was sliced into two perfect halves. The blonde took a moment to admire his growing swordsmanship skills.<p>

"You're definitely improving," Magister Mahaad remarked. A loyal advisor and spymaster to Lord Ron, Mahaad was a good friend to the Sardotheons and prided himself on his skills in the arts, especially with blades. "Try to keep your posture rigid and taut. You don't want to relax once you cut an enemy down. There could always be someone else tailing right behind you."

Joseph shrugged, turning over the blade in his hands. It was imported steel from overseas, from _where_ exactly, he was not allowed to know. He guessed that it was forged in Verythia; his father always liked the fancier metals that could not be obtained through trade in the Empire.

"I still think I'm way better than I used to be," he murmured. He glanced at Mahaad, noticing the grim yet faint smile twisting the other's lips. "Thanks for, well, teaching me all this time. Father would never put aside his own schedule to show me how to cut down a thousand planted dummies."

Mahaad chuckled and shook his head. "It's all in the matter of the job, Joseph." He walked over to the rocky cliff that stretched down to the sands of the beach. One step forward and he would fall directly to his death. While Snowmount Rock was indeed an ancient and beautiful place, it was one of the most dangerous royal houses in all of the Empire.

"Are you married, Mahaad?" Joseph asked.

The other blinked and looked at him cautiously. "I am a magister. By the law I am not allowed to acquire a wife."

Joseph hesitated. How was he supposed to talk about this with anyone? "I think getting married sounds stupid." He sighed, as if a huge burden was just leased from his shoulders. He would never admit this to Kisara, or Yuugi especially. The thought of the former made him sick. "I mean, I'm not ready to be a lord! I'd rather train; maybe meet the High King someday. I dunno. I don't want to be tied down like this, but…" He grumbled. "I have no choice."

Mahaad folded his arms, prominent muscles from hours of training rippling like the waves of the ocean. "Indeed, sometimes in order to please the people who birthed and raised you, you must make sacrifices." Joseph dipped his head, pondering. "However, it is ultimately up to you on whether you wish to make that sacrifice."

The Wyntorn heir blinked at these words and snapped his attention to the magister. A thousand ideas ran through his mind, none of them accomplishable. "I would dishonor my family name." It was punishable to even think about this, to even acknowledge that he thought about disobeying the word and promise of his parents. "I would be punished like a criminal if I tried running away…"

Running away. Retreating like a coward, like a puppy with its tail between its legs. The oldest son of the Sardotheons was suddenly disgusted with himself.

"I shouldn't have brought this up." Joseph glared at the dummies set before him and wanted to burn them each to the ground, imagining them as figments of himself. Cowards deserved that treatment.

Mahaad glowered. "Do not be ashamed of yourself. It is natural to want to escape, especially at your age." His thirty years was far past Joseph's eighteen, but he understood what the other was thinking. "It's natural, Joseph."

"No." He was even more ashamed since he knew that Kisara wasn't feeling this way. She was scared of marriage but she never thought about abandoning it. Why shouldn't he be brave alongside her? "I need to stick with it and not think about it anymore."

"Think about what?"

Joseph turned and blinked at the presence of his adoptive sister. Yuugi was dressed in the usual common clothing that his parents hated seeing her wear: the buttoned white blouse, the rugged leather pants and the shoes caked in damp sand. In fact her colorful, wild hair was slicked and drooping from water; he guessed she was searching through the reservoir again, like the guards did in hopes that no one was crawling through the tunnels to attack Lord and Lady Sardotheon.

And yet, somehow, to him, she was so pretty.

He shoved the thought to the deepest corridors of his mind and refused to open that door again. "Nothing, Yuug'. Just talking about… man stuff, with Mahaad."

"Man stuff," she deadpanned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. Totally not in your interest at all. Except with how you dress." Joseph's nose wrinkled. "Mom would kill you if she saw you in that."

"I don't really care what Lady Eleanor thinks of my wardrobe. And I doubt she really minds either," Yuugi retorted haughtily. She flashed a kind smile at Mahaad, her face glowing with childishness. "How are you, Magister?"

"Quite good, Yuugi. Thank you." Mahaad smiled and ruffled her hair. Joseph suppressed the slight jealousy twisting in his stomach. "So, it seems that your brother and sister are to be married soon."

Yuugi's glow instantly faded. Worry clouded her eyes, replacing the excitement of seeing one of her favorite people in Wyntorn. "Yes. Kisara isn't taking it well." She glanced at her adoptive sibling and grinned crookedly. "Though the blonde dog seems a bit too excited for what's coming for him."

Joseph was stiff. He didn't want to talk about this now or even correct Yuugi's thinking. The less she knew, the better. "Yeah. Really pumped up for this marriage union shit." He rolled his eyes.

He knew that Yuugi understood to some extent. When he and Kisara were informed two years prior that they were destined to marry the heiress of Redstone and the heir of Godsdom, neither were excited, yet they craved new opportunities. To have the door opened so ceremoniously was like a sought-after treat in a lot of commoners' eyes. Yuugi was never a part of the discussion—the most Mother or Father ever acknowledged her in their family was when they needed to leave for a royal gathering and they wanted someone to be left behind to help guard the castle with other armed men.

Yeah, right. Yuugi guarding the castle by her lonesome was asking for trouble, and Kisara and Joseph always objected to the idea. Ron and Eleanor Sardotheon insisted that it was the best decision, and that they could not have someone of commoner blood go with them, even though she was technically adopted into their family.

Joseph would never forget the first day she arrived at their doorstep—covered head to toe in dried blood, cuts, sand swept over her bare feet, with hair cropped far too short and eyes that shone like rigid, unbreakable gemstones. At seven years old, he thought the four-year-old stranger was weird, since she refused to talk to him or even look at his then-two-year-old sister.

Years passed. He found her intriguing. Smart, even. Some more years passed, he thought she was growing rather pretty. Even more years passed, and to him she was worth a lot more than she was supposed to be—

_Stop it. _He shook his head, teeth grinding in irritation.

"Anyway," Yuugi interjected, breaking Joseph's trail of thought, "your mother wanted me to come get you. She mentioned the dressing room and preparations for rehearsal."

He groaned, rubbing his temples. "Now?"

"Yeah." Yuugi smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry. We can go exploring later if you want. I know another way out of the castle." She turned to Mahaad expectantly. "Promise you won't tell the Mother Beast?"

Mahaad chuckled. "Of course."

Joseph grinned and, within seconds had his adoptive sibling in a headlock. "Yeah? Well you better spar with me later too Yuug'! Mahaad's boring me to tears." He chuckled when she screamed in his grasp, arms flailing like an upset toddler. When he released her she stared at him, flushed and wide-eyed.

"Idiot," she muttered, and then smiled. "I'm heading back inside. You should come. Don't anger your Mama Bear."

The blonde dipped his head, trying his hardest to suppress a snarky grin. "If you say so, _common girl_."

* * *

><p><strong>Mai<strong>

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><p>The Palace of Roses was a sight to see. A monument constructed of the most beautiful marble pillars detected in all of the Ostrësian Empire, it simultaneously boasted the shade of moonlight, while the cracks in the marble flashed the same bluish color of a royal man's veins. Fresh blossoms, just now waking from a season-long slumber, decorated the pillars, disappearing and reappearing throughout hedges of trimmed moss.<p>

The palace gardens were rich with intense aromas and exotic flowers that bloomed according to the different seasons; ironically, winter caused the most pleasant and interesting-looking plants to flourish. Lady Margaret Beaumont of Blackwall, otherwise known as "Lady Mai of the Thorns", strolled through her private gardens whenever necessary, always looking ready for new information, and always prepared for what was to come.

But at this moment the powerful woman was nowhere near her gardens. In one of the ovular chambers walled with stained glass and oaken wood, her messengers stood cowardly shaking beneath her presence. Dressed in nothing but silken bathrobes that would have cost the entire contents of a miser's purse, Lady Mai held nothing back.

"So, you're telling me that there is a mysterious trespasser boarding the Shifting Coast… and that Wyntorn is completely unaware about it? You expect me to believe such bullshit in a time like this?" She grabbed the collar of the terrified messenger and pulled him towards her, inches from her face. "Where did you get this information?"

"M-Magistress Ishizu van Par, Milady!" the little man croaked.

That name instantly rang a bell. Mai dropped him, raising a quizzical brow. She tapped her chin in thought, curiosity replacing rage. "Ishizu, eh?" She crossed her arms. "And can you explain why she wouldn't just inform the Sardotheons?"

"N-No, Milady…"

"So you truly have not the slightest idea on how Ishizu van Par could know about the invasion… and yet, Wyntorn's own rulers could not? We are hundreds of miles from where they are set and somehow you were able to get word that the Magistress saw a ship?"

"S-She is the Magistress Who Sees, Milady…" the messenger swallowed. "I-Ishizu v-van Par is the one with the Sight—"

"I know about her abilities you fool!" Mai dropped him, frustrated once more. "You're giving me a headache. Go scrub the kitchen floors or something. Just get out of my sight." She waited until the impish man squeaked and dashed out of the chamber like a fox with its tail on fire.

Whether the message was ludicrous or not, it was important information. She suspected that pirates from Verythia were trying to claim their borders once more. This was not the first time Wyntorn had been attacked or ambushed, though the last siege from that direction was centuries ago. Why would they attack now?

_Maybe they're not pirates_. She sighed, rubbing her temples. She liked excitement; she thrived on the battlefield with her manipulation of magic and her adept skill with a crossbow. But a hidden attack on the shores of the Shifting Coast?

True, Blackwall was Wyntorn's greatest ally, though why Ishizu would contact her and not the very rulers of Wyntorn was puzzling. Snowmount Rock was a practical watchtower for the beach!

And if Ishizu used her Sight…

_Damn woman_. She would have to contact Ron and Eleanor as soon as possible. Or maybe even meet them in person. Magistress Ishizu was grim and vague with her messenger and did not mention how close the siege was or even what the ambushers looked like, but she needed to be sure.

She ran to her bedchambers, where the heavy floral scent of her precious roses wafted in clouds. Her sheets were still overturned, still warm with her body and that of a female slave she invited to stay with her during the eve. She could still remember the taste of the other woman, the feel of her skin against hers…

If her parents knew of her bisexual states she would have been killed as a baby. Mai swept a blonde lock behind her ear and strode to the windows, glancing out over the busy districts that led up to the Palace of Roses. She could hear activity bustling in the cobblestone streets, the marketplace alive with rich chatter. She imagined children quarreling in the square, faces stuffed with candy and clothes sewn with fine linens.

Blackwall was one of the wealthiest kingdoms around, and it showed.

_A bit too flashy at times_, Mai thought. She sighed, wondering about the Sardotheons. What could they possibly be doing at this moment?

She blinked, and suddenly remembered. "Their children are to be married…"

* * *

><p><strong>Yuugi<strong>

* * *

><p>"Come on. Again." Eleanor Sardotheon's voice boomed like an angry bird's. Patience was not her strongest virtue, and watching her children repeat their lines and vows up to twenty times <em>wrong <em>only made her frustrations grow.

Yuugi was leaning against one of the pillars of the dining hall. She liked this room due to its expansive atmosphere, especially in comparison with the rest of the castle. But now the air seemed claustrophobic, and Kisara and Joseph looked so uncomfortable it affected their own father.

"Dear, perhaps that's enough for today. They're not getting married based on their memorization skills," Ron murmured, attempting to calm his wife. Eleanor straightened and shook her head.

"No, Ron. This must be perfect. We're supposed to impress the Dunwalds and the Harts, and _this _will not impress anyone!"

Kisara sighed in frustration. Like her brother, they were dressed in their most expensive garments, looking every bit the young husband and wife they were soon meant to be. "Mother, we tried this so many times. None of it is working. Can't we please rest for a moment?"

Joseph looked at his father expectantly. "Kisara's right. This is getting a little insane."

Yuugi could only watch as her siblings and parents squabbled over what seemed like nothing. She kept her word in, knowing that if she said anything she would embarrass them, and that was not her goal.

"I will forever cherish you while you bask in my glow—"

"_Wrong_, Joseph! _Wrong_." Eleanor's face glowed beet-red.

"Well I would hope so. That line's terrible." Kisara giggled at her brother's quip, but immediately clamped her mouth shut at their mother's icy glare.

"Children, this is going to be the most important day of your lives. We will impress the Dunwalds and the Harts and not mess anything up. Do I make myself clear?" Eleanor was speaking stiffly and calmly at this point, and the children knew that whenever she used this voice she was seconds away from exploding like a teakettle.

Kisara was the first to break the awkward silence. "I am sorry, Mother. It won't happen again." She nudged Joseph, and he repeated her words, mechanical in his delivery and showing no remorse in his eyes.

_Joseph… _Yuugi thought begrudgingly. He was asking for trouble.

"Yuugi. Perhaps you're distracting them. Go somewhere else so you're not a contributing factor in their lacking performance."

Yuugi bristled and resisted the urge to growl, though nodded. She always reminded herself that this woman and her husband took her in and raised her, even though her treatment of her was positively terrible and embarrassing at times.

"She's not distracting us Mother. She was helping us most of the day getting ready," Joseph growled out coolly.

Kisara nodded. "He's right, Mother."

Eleanor shook her head. "I will simply not allow it. If anything she is distracting me."

Yuugi left the room before they could get in another argument. She hated it when they fought, especially over her. Joseph and Kisara took her side against all odds, even against that of their own mother, and for that Yuugi would be forever grateful.

She remembered when Kisara first held her hand on the beachside, smiling widely like she had never smiled before. Joseph was with them, watching contently, still not sure if he trusted the newcomer, though Yuugi was quick in obtaining his brotherly affection as well. She loved them both dearly, and would never leave them, but within a few days' time they would both soon be taken from her. The richer family had the rights to take the other away, and in this case both the Dunwalds and the Harts were wealthier.

_I need to get used to it. _She exhaled shakily. _When they're gone, you can't be upset about it. You have to remain strong and not let Eleanor break you down. If she sends you away, let her. _

There were only so many options left at this point.

Within minutes she found herself on the roof of one of the tallest towers of Snowmount Rock. Passageways that led from the dining hall to the bedroom chambers to the storage compartment were the easiest shortcuts to the very top of the monument. When Yuugi discovered this as a six-year-old, with nearly two years having passed of being a member of the Sardotheon household, she was elated. Joseph was as well, and he often joined her when they sat under the stars, scoping out the constellations and wishing upon each one, hoping that their dreams would eventually come true.

The last time they sat under the stars she wished to make a name for herself, as Yuugi, not as a Sardotheon. She did not know Joseph's wish, but she remembered him being very bashful and odd that evening, giving her longer looks than normal. They were close, she supposed, but even then that was a comfortable but rather different experience.

Tonight, the inky blackness of dusk swept across the Shifting Coast like an ethereal blanket. The gods were watching the Sardotheons tonight, she supposed. She hoped they were casting a watchful eye on Joseph and Kisara; their fates hung in the balance. Their futures were already determined, and they needed help adjusting.

She lied on her back, stretching her aching limbs and breathing in the fresh salty air. The sound of the evening birds singing and the lapping waves of the calmed ocean brought nothing but peace. She could fall asleep for days if she wanted to… if only the night was eternal. What a blessing that would be!

Yuugi did not notice the slight change in the waves, or the stuttered beats of wings flapping. Birds scrambled, as they sensed something was amiss.

Within a few days there would be a stranger docking on the shores of the Shifting Coast, and they would not be prepared.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thank you so much for reading everybody! I'm currently on Christmas Break for school so I've been dying to get this story out. I've written many chapters and am so determined to show you guys the world I've fallen in love with. The other stories are going through certain roadblocks at the moment, but eventually they will be updated! <strong>_

_**School has taken all of my time, but I have a couple weeks to write as much as I can before hitting the books. **_

_**Happy holidays!**_


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